And That Has Made All the Difference
by Scott04069418
Summary: This is a crossover story which features Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Megara from Hercules in an unconventional love story.
1. Chapter 1: Second Chances?

**Disclaimer: Ariel, Melody, Megara, and Hercules are characters owned and licensed by Disney. I am using them without official permission for purposes that will in no way earn me any sort of profit. **

**Author's Notes: This story is mostly going to be M for language, I think. This is a love story between two women. You have been warned. **

Meg stood on the balcony of a lovely house looking over the sea. The view was breath-taking but she could barely enjoy it. She turned to look into the room where she would be spending the next few nights. Hercules was standing in front of the mirror posing and flexing his muscles with a big, stupid grin on his face. Meg rolled her eyes. This whole trip could have been a chance for a romantic getaway but, instead, he had dragged her along on a tour he was doing _and_ he was ignoring her. After Hercules had defeated the Titans, outwitted Hades, and given up his place on Mt. Olympus he became more famous than he ever thought possible. With all of the tours and appearances he was doing, he started to believe all of the great things people were saying about him and it had gotten to his head. He was a true narcissist: completely in love with himself. In fact, he hadn't even paid Meg that much attention in months. He hadn't asked her if she _wanted_ to go on this trip. He came home and started packing and explained that she was to do the same.

Suddenly, Meg was very upset with the man ogling his reflection. She decided to get out of there, grabbing her sandals and quickly making her leave. Hercules was too busy with the mirror to take notice of Meg's swift exit which only fed the angry fire burning inside of her. She walked down the street, her long brown hair flowing down in a huge ponytail that stayed remarkably still considering her pace. She mentally ranted, noting all of the reasons she really hated being with Hercules. She berated herself for trusting another man after that scoundrel she had sold her very soul for. Sure, Herc had saved her from Hades but he had also changed drastically. He was no longer the sweet, innocent, caring guy who had literally gone to the depths of the underworld for her. Meg had been so distracted by her malice that she hadn't realized that she should be having a total déjà vu moment. She also failed to notice the person headed straight for her. SMACK! They collided and each rebounded, exchanging puzzled looks.

"I'm sorry," said Meg, snapping from her mental tirade, "I wasn't really looking where I was going…" She trailed off.

"It's all right," said the woman, looking rather sheepish, "I was busy looking up at the buildings. I should have been paying more attention to where I was walking." She laughed nervously.

It was then that Meg realized that this redheaded woman was carrying a very young child in her arms. The little black-haired girl couldn't have been more than two years old. Meg looked the woman up and down from the hem of her pink dress to the blue eyes which matched the child's. Somehow, her eyes seemed familiar. It was like Meg had seen them before but she couldn't exactly grasp the memory.

"Have we met somewhere before?" Meg asked, tapping her chin in thought.

"I don't think so," said the woman, "But anything's possible, I guess." She smiled.

That smile. Meg _knew_ she had seen that smile somewhere. She was pulled out of her line of thought when the woman adjusted the bag hanging from her shoulder, preparing to leave.

"Wait!" Said Meg, "What's your name?"

The woman laughed lightly, "It's Ariel," she said, "And this is Melody." She lifted the child up very slightly to avoid confusion.

"I'm Megara. My friends call me 'Meg.' At least, they would if I had any friends," said Meg, smiling a bit at her own joke.

Ariel laughed, a welcome sound to Meg's ears, and then addressed the other woman, "It's nice to meet you, Meg. Maybe I'll see you again around town."

"That's quite possible," Meg said with a smile, "Where are you staying?"

"One of the houses up there," Ariel pointed behind Meg to a hill, "You know, the ones that overlook the water?"

"Yeah," said Meg, both excited and nervous that Ariel was staying so close, "I hear they're really nice," she finished lamely. Her brain seemed to be working at half power.

"We were just heading there now, actually," Ariel said, then looked down at her baby, "It's about time I put Melody down for her nap."

"Ah," said Meg, not sure what else to say, "I guess I'll see you around then." She waved as Ariel started walking away, "Bye!" She called.

"See you later, Meg!" Ariel called back, rocking a now rather fussy Melody.

Meg walked away, making it a point to not get so lost in thought that she couldn't take in her surroundings. She looked around, noticing for the first time that this whole town looked familiar. She walked down to a walled-off cliff that made a sheer drop into the ocean. Meg put her hands up on the wall, leaning against it. Suddenly, she was overtaken by a light bulb moment. She had been to this very town before the whole mess with the cheating asshole. It had been about four years ago when Meg was only sixteen years old. She had run away from home at a young age and became a nomad of sorts. She recognized the spot she was standing in as well. Her vision was replaced by the slightly fuzzy, moving pictures of a memory.

_Meg was standing on a cliff overlooking the ocean. She liked this town. The people were really kind and there were plenty of great places to look out at the water. She stood, leaning with her arms crossed to support her on the wall. She was sucked from her pseudo-meditation by one of the most enchanting sounds she had ever heard. Meg looked down to see a redheaded girl in a purple bikini top, which seemed to be made out of shells, singing what sounded like a scale. Meg was struck by how beautiful the girl's voice was and how happy she looked. She had on a huge smile as she reached the last note of her little tune and the waves picked up, crashing onto the rock below her. Meg noted a sort of wild innocence on the girl's face as her red hair was whipped around her face by the wind. Her song finished, the girl smiled and looked up at the sky. The girl's curious blue eyes drifted down and found Meg. Her smile faded and her eyes grew wide but a wave swept her off of her rock before she could flee. Meg watched in awe as the girl swam away. There, plain as day, was a huge green fish tail where the girl's legs should have been._

Meg snapped back to reality. She remembered that day. She had gone back every day after that for weeks, hoping to hear that lovely voice again. After failing several times over she eventually gave up and left the town. Apparently she had also forgotten her quest for the mermaid. Meg shook her head and walked slowly, almost mournfully, away. She had even more to think about than when she had left the house so she didn't pay that much attention to anything else as she wondered aimlessly through the town.

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Ariel walked down the sidewalk where she had just bumped into another woman and had a mini conversation. She had been in a hurry to take care of Melody, who had been up too long for her tastes, but she actually _had_ wanted to stay and talk to Meg. The slightly taller woman looked so interesting in her long purple dress that stretched down just past her ankles and darker purple sandals which matched her belt. Ariel wasn't sure how Meg managed to get all of her long brown hair up with that one purple band. She felt a slight flutter in the pit of her stomach as she remembered Meg looking her over. Ariel really hoped that she could see Meg again. Unsure of why the thought made her feel so happy, she shrugged it off and walked up to the front door of the house she was staying in, shifting Melody to one side so she could unlock the door. She put Melody down for her much deserved nap and walked out to the balcony to look at the sea.

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Meg, having completely lost her way out in town, got home exceedingly late. Hercules was already asleep and didn't even stir when she entered the room and took off her sandals. She sighed, too tired to be all that angry with him. She was, however, still upset enough with him to take the spare sheets out of the closet and go downstairs to sleep on the couch. Reluctantly, her busy mind eventually allowed her to fall into a fitful sleep.

**There you have the first chapter. Let me know what you think. I know in general what to do with this whole story but I'm open to suggestions.**


	2. Chapter 2: Enough Is Enough

**Disclaimer: Ariel, Melody, Max, Eric, Megara, and Hercules are characters owned and licensed by Disney. I am using them without official permission for purposes that will in no way earn me any sort of profit. **

**Author's Notes: This story is mostly going to be M for language, I think. This is a love story between two women. You have been warned. **

Meg stared up at the ceiling, bored out of her mind. When she'd gotten up, Hercules had already left. After she woke up, she ate some food she had found in the kitchen cupboards and then searched the house high and low for something to do. There was nothing. No books or scrolls to read, nobody to talk to, there was only the view from the balcony but one could only stare out at the sea for so long. The more she thought about her current situation the angrier she got. _He could have at least woken me to tell me he was going or left a note so I wouldn't wonder where he was, _she thought. She got up from her place on the couch, where she had been lying for what might as well have been hours, and began to pace the floor.

_He's barely said two words to me the whole time we've been here_, she thought, _and he's always gone! Why did he even bring me on this goddamn trip if he didn't have time to spend with me while we're here? Why the hell should I pack up and go to another town just to be ignored anyway?! _She could feel herself reaching the limit of her containable anger, all of her muscles tensing and her hands curling into fists. _He's just being an asshole! He let all that "Wonder Boy" crap get to his head and now he's just a regular fucking narcissistic asshole!_

Her face was hot and she was shaking all over. She could no longer stand to be in the house. She needed to get out. She hastily slipped on her sandals and stormed out the door. Meg walked quickly, her furious footsteps smacking the pavement with audible force. In her rage, she was blind to the people and things around her. _I should find him. I should track him down and confront him face to face. Or,_ she thought, tightening her fists and smirking just a bit, _I could just beat the shit out of him._ The thought calmed her down just enough to catch a flash of red in her peripheral vision as she passed the market place.

Meg turned her head and there, standing square in the middle of the market place near a fruit booth, was the woman she had met the day before. As Ariel looked up, noticing Meg and greeting her with a smile and a wave, Meg's rage melted and her legs began to move automatically in Ariel's direction.

"Hello again," said Ariel, smiling wider, "What brings you here on this fine day?"

"Hey. I was, um, just, uh, out for a walk," said Meg, trying, seemingly in vain, to get her brain to function properly again, "What about you?"

"Oh, I was just buying some groceries," said Ariel, lifting up the shopping bag in her hand.

"Mind if I join you?" Meg asked, the words springing forth from her mouth before she had any time to think.

"Sure," she said, "It'd be nice to have some company."

Meg grinned. A warm feeling spread through her, not unlike the feeling one might experience while drinking hot chocolate or a bit of whiskey on a cold winter night. She _did _feel slightly inebriated as she walked alongside Ariel, whose beautiful red hair had a tendency, at times, to move as if it were floating in water. This could be due, partially, to the fact that Meg was seeing all of Ariel's movements in slow motion. Suddenly, after staring for some time, she realized that Ariel had said something.

"I'm sorry," said Meg, "What did you say?"

"I was just saying that you were being really quiet."

"Oh. Sorry. I was just thinking."

"Thinking? About what?"

"Your hair," Meg blurted out before she could stop herself. _Nice going, _she thought as she inwardly facepalmed.

"My hair?" Ariel looked confused.

"Yeah," said Meg, trying to think up a good save, "It's just… such an interesting color, you know? I've never seen a red like it on hair before. Is it natural?"

"Yes," Ariel said, giggling a bit, "It's natural. It's a pretty rare hair color though, even where I'm from."

"I should think so," said Meg, "Although, I'm one to talk," she looked down at the ground and touched the back of her head with the palm of her hand, "I'm the only person I've ever heard of with purple irises."

To Meg's surprise, Ariel reached over and lifted up her chin, looking her straight in the eyes. They held that pose for a few seconds, Meg also holding her breath.

"They _are_ purple!" Ariel had a look of awe on her face.

"Yeah," said Meg, gently rubbing the back of her head with her palm. She could feel the red rising in her cheeks.

"You must get attention from a lot of guys with eyes like that," said Ariel.

"Yeah," said Meg, laughing without humor, "From pretty much every guy except my boyfriend," she added bitterly.

"Having a bit of a rough patch?"

"That would be an understatement," said Meg, "He used to be such a great guy. He was honest and caring, a real sweetheart. He had dreams of becoming a hero and taking back his rightful place on Mt. Olympus next to his father Zeus."

"Sounds like a pretty good guy to be with to me," said Ariel, amazed.

"That's what I thought too, until he actually became a hero and let the fame go to his head. He has one of the biggest egos I've ever seen. He never even talks to me anymore. He brought me here to stay with him while he's on tour but he hasn't paid me any mind since we got here!" Meg could feel her anger starting to come back.

"You poor thing," said Ariel, reaching out and gently touching Meg's arm, "I'm sure it'll work itself out."

"Thanks," said Meg. It was all she _could_ say at that moment, her brain growing fuzzy. She was very aware of Ariel's hand. It was as if hundreds of tiny bubbles were tickling the surface of her skin right where the other woman's hand touched.

Ariel smiled at her. "If you get really fed up with this boyfriend of yours," she said, "You can come stay with me."

Meg was speechless. She nodded slowly. The last thing she wanted to do was stay at the vacation house, sitting around and waiting for Hercules to acknowledge her existence. They discussed arrangements and decided that Ariel would go back with Meg to get her things from the vacation house and then they would go to Ariel's place where Meg would get the second bedroom. Upon arriving at Hercules's vacation house, Ariel remarked that it was no wonder they kept running into each other because her house was just two doors down the street. They had a good laugh and gathered Meg's belongings. They covered the short distance to Ariel's house. Ariel opened the door and let Meg in, who was then greeted vivaciously by a massive yet amicable sheepdog. Meg dropped her things, at first startled but then embracing the friendliness of the gentle giant fervently licking her face. She scratched him behind the ears, petted his soft fur. He flipped over and she rubbed his belly as he lay there, grinning his wide doggy grin and wagging his tail like a madman.

"Wow," said Ariel, "I haven't seen Max warm up to anyone that fast since…" She looked thoughtful and pained.

"Since?" Meg looked up from rubbing Max's belly.

"Never mind," she said, "It's nothing . I don't want to talk about it."

"All right," said Meg, surprised, "That's fine. You don't have to talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable. Where's Melody?" It had occurred to her that Ariel had not taken Melody out shopping.

"I put her down for a nap earlier. It's about time for her to get up anyway. I'll go get her," Ariel replied, perking up a bit at the change in subject.

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Ariel came back with Melody. She and Meg talked for a while about random things, their favorite colors, what types of animals they liked, the best kinds of food, before Meg went to put her things in the second bedroom and Ariel offered to make dinner. Ariel had actually gained quite a lot of knowledge about cooking from the castle's chef in her relatively short time there. She didn't travel too far down that line of thought. It would only make her sad. She made a simple meal and brought it to the table. Meg and Melody were already there, seated and ready.

"Thank you for setting the table and putting Melody in her high chair," said Ariel, smiling warmly.

"Oh, it was no trouble," said Meg, smiling back, "It's the least I could do. I mean, I should be thanking _you_ for making dinner and, of course, for letting me stay here."

"Well, I couldn't very well let you go back to that empty house to wait for a man who would only make you feel even more alone."

Meg said nothing as Ariel went around the table, setting down the three plates and taking her seat. It was quiet like that for a few more seconds, Meg staring at Ariel, until Melody piped up with her compliments to the chef.

"Good food, Mommy! Good food," she said, sloppily picking up more of her dinner with her fork.

"It's delicious," Meg said with a smile.

"I'm glad you like it," said Ariel, chuckling lightly.

Through and after dinner, Ariel and Meg talked more. They joked and told stories until it was Melody's bedtime. She let them know it with a grumpy whine and Ariel took her upstairs and put her to bed. Meg said she wanted to go to sleep too, it had been a long day, and thanked Ariel again as she made her way to the spare bedroom. Ariel stayed up, unintentionally, that night thinking everything that had happened that day. She couldn't help but go back to the memory of Max's initial reaction to Meg. He had always been a happy, friendly dog, but he had never warmed up to someone that fast. No one except Eric had ever elicited such a reception as Max had given Meg. That fact both intrigued and saddened her, evoking her curiosity but also painful memories. However, she was eventually able to think about happier things again and fell asleep with her lips lightly curved into a smile.

**There you have the second chapter. ****Sorry this update took so long! _ I've been really busy with classes, and the like, but after a year of writing factual, analytical pieces I'm just itching to write some fiction. :D ****Let me know what you think. I know in general what to do with this whole story but I'm open to suggestions.**


	3. Chapter 3: New Information

**Disclaimer: Ariel, Melody, Max, Eric, Megara, and Hercules are characters owned and licensed by Disney. I am using them without official permission for purposes that will in no way earn me any sort of profit. **

***The song that Meg sings in this chapter is an adapted version of "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" in which some of the lines are similar to or the same as the original. The Muses' part is not included.**

**Author's Notes: This story is mostly going to be M for language, I think. This is a love story between two women. You have been warned. **

Meg woke up and looked around wildly, not recognizing anything about the room she was in until her eyes found her suitcase. She remembered, with a rush of relief, that she was in Ariel's guest room. She relaxed her tense muscles and took a deep breath, her instinctual fear subsiding. Meg lay on the bed with her eyes closed, enjoying the stupor-like floating feeling which often overtook her when she was half asleep. Her brain, warming up, was sifting through images of the previous day. She saw herself at the table with Ariel and Melody.

Her eyes snapped open. She suddenly realized how bold a move it had been for her to put Melody in her high chair. She had picked up Ariel's child without asking if it was all right first. She had been trying to be helpful, much like she had been by setting the table, but she couldn't help wondering if she had overstepped her bounds. The idea of offending Ariel horrified her. She got up, got dressed, and cautiously walked down the staircase. She glanced around the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, but no one was around. Meg went back to the kitchen and looked in the sink. The dishes from their dinner the night before sat there, forgotten. She immediately decided she should wash them. She felt an impulsive and intense drive to do anything she could to show Ariel her gratitude.

Meg did a bit of poking around and found a towel. She sniff-checked it to make sure it was clean before laying it out on the counter. She washed the dishes, put them out on the towel to dry, turned to leave the kitchen, and was met by a rather surprised looking Ariel in the doorway.

"Um…" said Meg, "I, uh, washed the dishes for you."

"You didn't have to do that," said Ariel.

Meg shrugged. "I would feel bad making you clean up after opening up your home to me _and _cooking dinner. You know?"

"I love to cook. In fact, the only thing I _don't_ like about cooking is the cleaning up part," Ariel said, smiling, "And it's really not that much trouble to have you here. You shouldn't worry so much."

As the days turned into weeks, Meg became more and more comfortable in Ariel's house. She did more to help Ariel out but she was always careful, especially with things involving Melody, not to cross any of Ariel's boundaries. Meg found herself genuinely coming to like the child. Melody couldn't say very much yet but she was already a very happy and charismatic person. She had a vast sense of curiosity which never ceased to amaze Meg. The more time she spent with Melody the more Meg realized that the toddler took after her mother. Meg also enjoyed the increasing amount of time she was spending with Ariel.

After she had been staying at Ariel's house for about two months, Meg had very nearly forgotten Hercules. He had left the little town without her, probably too self-absorbed to even notice she was gone. She spent her days with Ariel, Melody, and Max. They had become her world. She would play with Melody and Max and help with the house work during the day and sit down to have long chats with Ariel after dinner.

One day, Meg decided to go for a walk around the town. It was a nice day, the sky was blue and bright, it was sunny but not hot, and it was the perfect day for a walk. She was going to invite Ariel and Melody along but they were both still fast asleep. Meg strolled down the sidewalks of the small town. She let her mind wonder as she drifted along the path below her until, with a pang of recognition, she noticed that she had ended up back in the spot where she had seen the mermaid all that time ago. Meg leaned against the wall on the edge of the cliff and looked out at the water. She glanced out at the beach a mile or so east of where she was standing.

"I bet Melody and Max would love having a day at the beach," she said quietly. The thought made her smile.

She turned her attention back to the ocean, watching the waves roll and whoosh until they finally crashed into the rocks at the base of the cliff. She was completely relaxed, breathing in the moist salty air. For no reason that she could see, Meg found herself warmly overtaken by a mental image of Ariel's smiling face. That smile! Meg would do just about anything just to see Ariel smile. She suddenly wished Ariel had come on the walk with her. Meg jumped slightly, realizing that she had just let herself get on a rather dangerous train of thought. Worried about her situation, she began to sing:

If there's a prize for rotten judgment

I guess I've already won that

You've gone down this road before, Meg

It's ancient history, been there, done that

Oh no, not that

It can't be, no, no

I always fall flat

I won't say I'm in love

I thought I had learned my lesson

Don't need more people to part with

I can't go and fall in love again,

Another knife to stab my heart with

Oh no, amour

It can't be, no, no

I'll be crushed for sure

I won't say I'm in love

It's way off base

I won't say it

It's not the case

I won't say it

Oh,

At least for now,

I won't say I'm in love

She wondered back to Ariel's house, slowly but surely, and tried to go about the rest of her day normally. She told Ariel about her idea to go to the beach. Ariel liked it so they packed up some towels and set off for the sun and sand. After a fun day at the beach, Melody and Max were exhausted. When they got home, Ariel fed Melody a quick dinner and put her to bed. Max curled up near the unlit fireplace in the living room while Meg and Ariel sat down to have their dinner.

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Ariel sat on the couch, having finished her dinner, and replayed the day's events in her head. It had been so much fun at the beach. Watching Meg play fetch with Max and build sand castles with Melody, seeing the joy on all their faces, had really warmed Ariel's heart. She glanced over toward the kitchen where Meg had just finished up washing the dishes from dinner. Ariel kept her eyes on the kitchen door as Meg stepped out.

"Hey," said Meg.

"Hey," said Ariel, somewhat distantly.

"You okay?" Meg asked in a concerned tone.

"Yeah," Ariel replied, "I was just thinking."

"About what?" Meg asked as she sat down.

"About today and how happy everyone was," she paused, "And about how, when you were playing fetch with Max, you reminded me a lot of Melody's father."

"Really?" Meg was a bit surprised. It was the first time Ariel had ever mentioned Melody's father.

"Yeah," Ariel said thoughtfully, "Eric used to play with Max like that."

Meg said nothing.

"I never told you about how Melody, Max, and I ended up here. I've never told anybody," she paused and took a deep breath, "Well, it all started after I met and married Eric. He was a prince with a huge castle full of servants who took care of his every need. In spite of that, he was a great person. He was kind and caring and never raised his voice. He was always polite with everyone, including his staff. When he married me and became king he didn't let it go to his head. But, a few months into our marriage, a terrible band of foul sailors came around who didn't care how good a man Eric was. They stormed the castle and, try as he might, Eric couldn't stop them from getting in.

"The men were picking fights with anyone they came across. Of course, it's easy to pick a fight against unarmed house servants when you have swords and guns. Eric got out his sword as soon as he saw this. He told me to take Max and his coin purse and get out of the castle as fast as I could. He said he would hold them off. I was so young and scared that I obliged right away. I ran as fast as I could and stayed in a nearby town," she looked up at Meg, "He said he would hold them off. He said… He said that he would come find us," tears began to well up in her eyes, "But he didn't. I went back to the castle after a few days. The invaders were gone. They had cleaned out all of the gold, jewels, and sellable things they could find and…" she started to weep, "And there were a few dead bodies. I think most of the servants got out but Eric… E-eric was dead!"

Ariel was crying uncontrollably. She felt Meg gently pull her in and hold her. Ariel wept into Meg's collar bone.

"Those bastards killed him!" she shouted.

Ariel could feel Meg tighten her grip slightly as she began to lightly rub Ariel's back with the palm of her hand. Meg leaned back on one arm the couch, lying down. Ariel didn't protest. She lay on top of Meg, still crying her eyes out.

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Meg lay on the couch. Ariel had cried herself out and fallen asleep on top of her. Meg felt for her. Finding one's husband murdered in his home is not something that _anyone _should have to experience. Meg was unsure how she would have reacted in the same situation. She stayed awake, processing the information she been given, until she passed out from sheer exhaustion.

**There you have the third chapter. Let me know what you think. I know in general what I want to do with this whole story but I'm open to suggestions. This update took a little longer than expected because it was a difficult part to write. I wasn't sure how much I wanted to happen in this chapter and how much information I wanted to reveal to Meg and to the audience.**


	4. Chapter 4: Bring Home the Bacon

**Disclaimer: Ariel, Melody, Max, Eric, Megara, and Hercules are characters owned and licensed by Disney. I am using them without official permission for purposes that will in no way earn me any sort of profit. **

**Author's Notes: Ambrose and Iola are my original characters so if you want to use them in any stories or drawings please give me a mention in the description. This story is mostly going to be M for language, I think. This is a love story between two women. You have been warned. **

Ariel snapped awake in the wee hours of the morning. It was dark and she was still half asleep but she could tell she wasn't in her bed. In fact, whatever was she was on top of was moving. Ariel looked down and realized that she had been sleeping with her head on Meg's breasts. She shot up, getting off of the brunette woman as quickly as possible. Ariel stood a few feet away from the couch, looking down at Meg's sleeping form. She could feel her face growing red. Meg had started to curl in on herself, visibly cold from the change of temperature around most of her body.

Ariel slowly tip toed over to the other end of the couch, picked up the blanket folded on the arm, and gently draped it over the other woman. Meg relaxed under the blanket, stretched out and shifted to burrow further into its warm folds. Ariel smiled in spite of herself as she took one last glance at Meg before heading upstairs to her room. She couldn't help feeling that something was missing as she crawled into her cold bed. However, she didn't have much time to mull this over before she fell back into a deep sleep.

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Meg rolled over, something warm and fuzzy pressing lightly against her face. She breathed a contented sigh but stopped halfway, her brain kicking in. She sat up and looked around her, confused. Ariel was gone, the sun looked like it had just recently risen, and she had a blanket around her which hadn't been there when she had fallen asleep. She panicked for a split second before she finished processing that information and figured out what had happened. The corner of her mouth rose. _I should do something nice for her, _Meg thought. She considered cooking breakfast but she knew how much Ariel loved cooking. It was one of her favorite activities and always put her in a good mood. _I guess I'll just wait until she gets up, _Meg thought, _Then I can figure something out._

She stood up, folded the blanket, set it back on the arm of the couch, and went into the kitchen to make some coffee. She didn't particularly need the caffeine but she loved the smell and would sit and sip a cup of it in the morning, given the chance. She made a very small pot because she knew that Ariel had enough natural energy that she seldom drank coffee at all. Meg sat at the kitchen table, holding her mug with both hands as she leaned down to inhale the heavenly scent wafting from it. Every muscle in her body relaxed and her eyes slowly closed as if paying homage aroma permeating the air. She was nearly comatose from her coffee fueled meditation when Ariel entered the room.

The redhead walked in, yawning and rubbing her eye to get all of the sleep off. She waved to Meg who waved back, neither feeling the desire to speak before the first meal of the day. Ariel shuffled around the kitchen in her fuzzy pink slippers, getting out the things she would need to make breakfast. Meg, having finished her coffee, watched Ariel at work. She moved with sweeping strokes like a painter bringing a canvas to life. She could have easily been shaping a clay masterpiece or dancing a ballet or even reciting a grand soliloquy. Meg had never seen anyone else turn cooking into something so beautiful. She watched as a gentle smile graced Ariel's lips. She hadn't realized that she had let her mind wander until Ariel brought her back to reality.

"Could you bring Melody down for me?" she asked.

"Sure," said Meg, heading upstairs.

Melody was still asleep when Meg opened the door. She walked in quietly and looked down and the sleeping girl. She reached into the crib and gently shook Melody's shoulder.

"Come on, Little One," she cooed, "Time get up."

Melody slowly opened her blue eyes. She stretched and yawned and blinked up at Meg. The brunette woman picked Melody up, resting the toddler on her hip.

"Breffist time?" the groggy child asked.

"Yes," Meg replied, "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmhmm," Melody said, "I saw wadder an' fishies!" she added excitedly.

"In your dreams, you mean?" Meg asked, amused with the girl's ability to make less sense now that she was talking more.

Melody nodded.

"What was it like in your dream?" Meg asked, making her way out of the room.

"Dere was wadder ever'where an' fishies aw over an' I was in dah wadder an' I had a fishie taiw!" Melody explained, bubbling with enthusiasm.

Meg smiled at the girl. They arrived in the kitchen and Meg set her tiny passenger into her high chair. Ariel was putting away the things she had used to make their breakfast. The other woman glanced into the cabinets as she was doing so.

"Do you want me to go to the market?" Meg asked, "We seem to be a little low on food."

"Um," Ariel cleared her throat, "No. I, uh, think we should be okay for a few more days," she replied, not sounding all that convinced herself.

"Are you sure?" Meg paused and really looked at the redhead, "Is something wrong?"

"Well," Ariel sighed, "To tell you the truth, I'm almost out of money. There was quite a lot in Eric's coin purse but I've been stretching it for about two years now and I'm down to my last few cents."

"Ah," said Meg, who had already spent the money she'd brought with her so that Ariel didn't have to pay for everything, "Well," she stopped to think, "I could, um, maybe get a job or something," Ariel perked up, "I don't really see myself going anywhere anytime soon so I might as well pitch in, right?"

There was silence. Meg hadn't realized she had shifted her eyes to the ground until she felt arms around her which seemed to have come out of nowhere.

"I can't believe you would do something like that!" she said into Meg's shoulder, "Thank you so much," she added as she pulled back, her eyes misty.

"Well," Meg began awkwardly, "It's, uh," she continued, her brain seemly malfunctioning, "It's not that big of a deal…" she looked into Ariel's slightly watery eyes, "It's the least I can do."

Once Ariel calmed down a bit, they all had breakfast. Neither woman talked much during the meal, however, because Ariel was too busy smiling and Meg couldn't seem to get her brain to work properly with the redhead's smile beaming across the table at her. Afterword, Ariel went to play with Melody while Meg washed the dishes. She worked on auto-pilot as she scrubbed the plates and utensils, her thoughts occupied with finding a job. _I guess I can just go around town and see if anyone is hiring or will pay me to do odd jobs_, she thought. She nodded to herself. _Yeah. That sounds like a plan._ She finished her after-meal task, said a quick "goodbye" to Ariel and Melody, and set out to find some work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X

Ariel sat in the middle of the living room floor next to Melody, playing with a set of wooden animal figurines Ariel had gotten her for her last birthday. She felt giddy for some reason. Something about Meg's willingness to go out and find a way to provide for Ariel and her daughter really got to the red-haired woman. Then, looking down at Melody, she was suddenly reminded of Eric. Ariel remembered distinctly how young and naïve she had been when she started spying on him. The tall, blue-eyed, ebony-haired sailor had meant so much to her at first.

After his death she realized that, although Eric had been a great man, she had never loved him romantically. She had loved the idea of him. He represented a whole new world to her, an uncharted territory above water just begging to be explored, and he had always been caring and gentle with her. Eric had become her best friend, her confidant, but she only ever loved him the way one would a sibling. He had died stalling invaders and still managed to provide for Ariel and Melody in the form of the money in his coin purse.

Meg would be providing for them with her income but, somehow, Ariel felt differently about the tall brunette's help than she had about her late husband's. Eric had acted like a close family member, in Ariel's view, whereas Meg, who had no real obligation to the former mermaid and her young daughter, was going out of her way to make sure they had food on the table. It was a grand gesture from the bottom of her heart, as far as Ariel was concerned. Was that why Ariel couldn't stop smiling? She had never before felt the way she did in that moment. She had no name for it.

"I hope I figure it out soon," she muttered, picking up a wooden monkey and setting on the back of a burly wooden bear, "Otherwise it might just drive me to insanity."

Melody laughed and clapped her hands at the monkey riding on the bear's back. Ariel turned her full attention back to jubilant child and her tiny playthings.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X

Meg sighed, frustrated with the results of her job search so far. Every place she had gone was either not hiring or was looking for someone with qualifications she didn't possess. She was just about to turn around and go home when, in her peripheral vision, she caught sight of a "Help Wanted" sign in the window of a shop called "Ambrose's Oddities." She took a deep breath and entered the little shop. Inside there were shelves to the ceiling filled with toys and books, pottery and candles, knick knacks and bits of jewelry, even instruments. Closer to the middle of the shop were wracks of clothing, sorted by color, on one side and pieces of furniture on the other. _What the hell kind of shop is this? _Meg thought. She looked around but didn't see anyone. She walked up to the cashier's desk, which had no one behind it.

"Hello?" she called, "Is anyone there?"

"What was that?" came a voice from somewhere in the back of the building.

A short gray-bearded man emerged from a door behind the cashier's desk, followed by a rather shy girl with black hair that came down to her chin.

"I'm here about the 'Help Wanted' sign out front," Meg told the man, "Are you the owner?"

"I am indeed," said the bearded man, "You can call me Ambrose," he added, "Everyone else does."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Ambrose," said Meg, shaking the man's hand, "My name is Megara but my friends call me Meg."

Ambrose chuckled. "There's no need to be so formal, Meg," he said, "The shop has a pretty laid-back atmosphere. Isn't that right, Iola?"

The girl looked up quickly, visibly uncomfortable with being the center of attention. She nodded at Meg and then shifted her gaze down at the ground.

"You'll have to excuse my apprentice," said Ambrose, "She's not very good with strangers."

"That's fine," Meg said, "Now, about that job," she added, steering the conversation away from the shy girl, "What exactly are you looking for?"

"Oh," said Ambrose, thoughtfully stroking his beard, "Just someone to work the cashier's desk, sort through inventory, and keep the shelves stocked."

"That doesn't sound too hard," Meg said, "But then what would anyone else do?" she added in a joking tone.

"I spend most days here training Iola to take over my family business," said Ambrose, in such a way that Meg knew she shouldn't ask any questions about it, "Which is why I need someone to actually manage the store."

"When can I start?" Meg asked eagerly.

"How does tomorrow morning sound?" Ambrose asked, "Around nine?"

"Sounds great!"

After thanking Ambrose and bidding the shop's occupants goodbye, Meg started on her way back home. She felt light on her feet as she walked briskly through the streets of the small town. Her hours of hard work had paid off. Meg picked up her pace, a bit impatient to get back so she could tell Ariel the good news. It seemed like the whole town was conspiring to keep her waiting, though, as she had to navigate around a passing fruit cart, a herd of goats, and several vendors' wives bickering in large group in the middle of the street.

Finally, Meg reached the door to the house. She unlocked the door and stepped in, receiving a fervent welcome from an exuberant Melody. The girl had still been playing with her wooden animals in the middle of the living room floor.

"Meg's home! Meg's Home!" chanted the toddler, clapping her hands.

"Hey, Little One," Meg replied, laughing as she scooped the small girl up.

"Whee!" Melody called as she travelled from the ground to Meg's side.

"Did you have a good day?" Meg asked, using the slow yet happy tone she reserved for speaking to very young children.

"Yes!" Melody replied.

"What did you do?" Meg asked, tickling the black-haired girl's stomach.

"I pwayed wiff aminos!" Melody managed, between giggles.

"You played with your wooden animals?" Meg asked, making sure to over-annunciate each word so that Melody could hear the way it was supposed to sound.

Melody nodded. Meg smiled and walked into the kitchen where Ariel had just started making dinner. The redhead glanced up and noticed the other two.

"Welcome back," she said, warmly, "How'd the job hunt go?"

"Well," Meg said, making her way to one of the dining chairs, "It's not a hunt anymore. I found a job!"

"That's great!" Ariel replied, visibly pleased, "Where are you working? What are you doing?"

"I'm going to be doing general work at a shop called 'Ambrose's Oddities,'" said Meg. To Ariel's raised eyebrow she added, "From what I can tell it's some kind of pawn shop or permanent rummage sale."

"What made you want to work in a place like that?"

"The guy running it seems pretty cool. He's kind of mysterious," Meg explained, "Plus, I think he's hiding something," she added.

They two continued to chat for a while about their days and about Meg's job until Ariel got into the zone with her cooking and stopped talking. Meg watched her at work, marveling at the artistry in her housemate's preparation of the meal. Ariel's smile went all the way to her eyes, making them gleam in such a way that they complimented everything about her. Meg watched, mindlessly bouncing Melody, as Ariel's movements seemed to switch into slow-motion. Her hand reached up to tuck a loose bit of her red hair behind her ear. Meg felt a stirring, a warming in her, as it came to her attention that she desperately wanted touch every inch of that long red hair. _I bet it's really soft,_ she thought. Then, her head clearing up a bit, _I should be careful with thoughts like that, _she scolded herself, _I could get myself into trouble._

Ariel finished dinner and everyone sat down to eat. Afterword, Ariel put Melody to bed and Meg did the dishes. The two women had a shorter evening chat than they normally would because Meg had to get up for her first day of work in the morning. They said goodnight and Meg went up to her room, falling quickly into a contented sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X

Ariel sat up for a while after Meg had gone to bed. She couldn't get the image of the brunette woman carrying Melody around out of her head. Meg was so good with the child. She took excellent care keep the young girl engaged in activities that would help her develop all kinds of fundamental skills, like speech. Ariel had seen Meg actively pronounce things properly so Melody had good examples to follow. She could tell that Meg cared deeply about Melody and that made her even happier than the fact that Meg had gotten a job just to support them. She felt a pleasant aching in her heart and a warmness, much like the feeling one might have after drinking a nice cup of hot chocolate, which seemed to saturate every fiber of her being as she realized that Meg had serious ties to Melody and to her. She went to bed, almost in a stupor. The thin brunette woman with the smug grin wasn't going away anytime soon.

**There you have the forth chapter. Let me know what you think. I know in general what I want to do with this whole story but I'm open to suggestions. **

**I'm sorry I took so long between updates. I've been learning how to drive so I've had less time at the computer and, as you can see, this chapter is longer than the others. There were certain things I really wanted to get done in this chapter so I just kept going until all of the things on my list were checked off. Also, I kept getting distracted by my little writing buddy (who you can see on my Photobucket, profile name Scotty_Scott, folder My Writing Buddy).**

**For those of you who had trouble understanding Melody's lines, here they are written in Standard English:**

"Breakfast time?" the groggy child asked.

"Yes," Meg replied, "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmhmm," Melody said, "I saw water and fishes!" she added excitedly.

"There was water everywhere and fishes all over and I was in the water and I had a fish tail!" Melody explained, bubbling with enthusiasm.

"I played with animals!" Melody managed, between giggles.


End file.
